Oil and water mix beautifully

ART REVIEW
by Andrew Trimingham

"Oil and Water Again": a two-man show of oils and watercolours at the Bermuda Society of Arts Onions Gallery and "Dreaming of a Garden," quilts by Lynn Morell in the Edinburgh Gallery at the City Hall
After altogether too long there is another Chris Marson and Jonah Jones two-man show at the Bermuda Society of Arts Onions Gallery at the City Hall.
The gallery is packed with paintings; the vivid oils by Jonah Jones sit cheek by jowl with the restrained watercolours of Chris Marson surprisingly well. Indeed there is a point in the gallery where one can see Jones' Island Sound across the room framed by four Marson works in the foreground, the ensemble making an entirely satisfying and complementary vista.
Not only are the two media of these artists famously incompatible, but so also their points of view seem diametrically opposed. Mr. Jones immerses himself happily in the crowded, overbuilt Bermuda of today where even the wide expanses of water are crowded with boats and people. Mr. Marson relishes a Bermuda largely now to be found only in the memories of the elderly, a quiet, unhurried, relaxed island of green hillsides seen across empty stretches of unruffled water with gently nestled white roofs as intermittent punctuation. On whichever side of this deep divide one's taste lies, there is enough fine painting in this show to satisfy everyone.
More to the point, both artists have developed considerably in the couple of years since their last joint show. Mr. Marson has strengthened his contrasts of light and shade without detracting in the least from the spare restraint of his painterly style. Mr. Jones has expanded the scale of canvas on which he paints to accommodate the wide sweep of his exuberant enthusiasm for life. His largest canvas was twelve feet in width and barely managed to contain his vision of houses and boats in Flatts Inlet. If there is a problem in the show at all it is that the space is on the small side for easily viewing such large works.
Being elderly myself I prefer Mr. Jones' more peaceful paintings. Island Sound, a sweeping view across the Great Sound with distant yachts and a small foreground island was his best fit with the Marson style and, I thought, his best work in the show. West End Beach and Rocks was another peaceful work, with a contained composition that made one want to be there with a lover and a picnic, quite alone in its sheltering embrace.
In something of a new departure, Mr. Jones has three works of palms against the sky. Of these Incoming II was the most arresting. His palms are seen against a lowering storm cloud to dramatic effect. Row of Palms was less dramatic, but more sweeping in its composition. The third, Group of Palms, was somewhat marred by chalkiness and lack of definition in the hanging dead fronds. These looked as though they had become mildewed with age.
In his more effervescent mood the very large Noodle Soup could barely contain its festive scene of innumerable boats and raft-ups, people swimming, eating, drinking and partying on what must have been an organised alternative to Cup Match. One parted from it reluctantly, but happy. Two kinds of determination balanced the effect of Paget Commute with Optimists. The sturdy determination of the ferry surging towards its next stop at Salt Kettle and the dogged determination of the children racing their tiny Optimists at a snail's pace under the Paget shore. In all of the large boating scenes I had some reservation about the chalky surface swirls overlaid on reflective water. His purpose was clear, but its success is doubtful.
There is more of social awareness about Mr. Jones' paintings than there used to be. At first I was somewhat put off by the crowded, gaudy, even garishly painted houses jostling one another on what I took to be Spanish Point above the water in which was moored Bermuda Paint and other boats. Then I came to the realisation that this was a more accurate depiction of what we see all around us but try to banish from our minds and memory as being the fate of Bermuda today and the punishment of Bermuda in the future.
One turns to the peacefulness of the forty watercolours of Chris Marson as to a cool drink on a hot summer's day. On a first walk around these works I was immediately struck by a greater depth and sensitivity to atmosphere in almost all his new work than has been evident previously. This is enhanced by greater tonal contrasts in much of the work, contrasts that add strength without leading to the loss of subtlety and restraint of style which is Mr. Marson's hallmark. His first work in the show, Squall over the West End, is what its title suggests and a superb subject for Mr. Marson's style. On close study there is a distant inlet in which the rain is actually falling, drawing the eye and the imagination fully into the subject.
Rain is in considerable evidence in these works, all to considerable effect.
Early Morning, Rain Forecast is among the best, as are Rain over the Sound and Weather. In Rain Rain, Go Away the rain was more in evidence than the artist needed, catching him unawares and pelting his painting with spatters of water, rendering it somewhat murky. Lagoon Park Reflections and Down to the Sea are good examples of his stronger contrasts as is South Shore Cedar where the contrasts of shadow and light verge on the dramatic.
There are, of course, many examples among Mr. Marson¹s work of his architectural studies and local scenes of people and places that in a lesser artist could be dismissed as tourist trap paintings.
I was a little disappointed on the morning after the opening to see that almost all of these had sold while many of what I regard as his finest works to date remained without a red sticker. On the other hand for those with the interest and good sense to avoid the crowded opening party it will be rewarding to know that much of the artist¹s best work is still available to be bought.
In the adjacent Edinburgh Gallery are new quilt and embroidery work by Lynn Morell.
As always they are exquisitely executed and this show will appeal to those whose taste is for the colourful and bright. The compositions are as usual balanced and thoughtful, though I thought the moon in In the Midnight Garden rather over balanced the rest of the work.
Being in favour of more moderate colour schemes my favourite was Shady Nook made up of soft greens, lavenders and purples. Those with brighter taste in colour will have a field day.
This is certainly a "must see" couple of shows and will require a certain amount of time to fully enjoy. It provides more to chew on than can be digested in a hurried lunch hour dash in and out.